Dredger.



WILLIAM BROWN & WALTER BROWN.

pszoeea. APPLICATION flLED FEB- 21. I917- Patented Dec; 18,1917.-

3 SHEETS-SREET I.

INVENTORS: WILLIAM BROWN WALTER BRO WILLIAM BROWN-8L WALTER BROWN.

DREDGER.

APPLlCATlON FILED 5.21, 1.9.

Patented Dec. 18, 1917.

a sHurs-suser 2.

A-rToRN'EYf WILLIAM BROWN & WALTER BROWN.

DREDGER.

APPLICATlQN FILED FEB. 2!, Y9]?- 1,250,276. Patented Dec. 18,1917.

3 SHEETSSHEE1 3.

INVENTORS: WILLIAM BROWN wAgTER BRow N JJWMJ ATTORNEY.

WILLIAM BROWN AND WALTER BROWN, OF RENFREW, SCOTLAND.

DREDGER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 18, 1917.

Application filed February 21, 1917. Serial No. 150,076.

an optimum position or inclination which the dredging head may occupy relatively to the ground in order that the highest 'worle ing efficiency may be obtained. Due to this consideration it has already been proposed so to balance the dredging head that it tends under the action of gravity to assume a position of maximum inclination and to provide a stop or stops for determining the inclination.

The primary object of the present improvement is to provide a construction which permits relative angular displacement of the dredging head and suction pipe simultaneously with the operation of raising'or lowering the suction pipe but insures that the dredging head will be maintained at the optimum inclination to the ground, irrespective of the dredging depth.

Preferably the construction is such that the inclination of the dredging head to the ground is automatically maintained notwithstanding variation of the inclination of the suction pipe as required by variation of the dredging depth; provision being preferably made for convenient adjustment of the inclination of the dredging head to suit different characters of material.

The construction may be such, however,

that the inclination of the dredging head is dependent on manual control the controlling gear being fitted on board the dredging ves sel, so that the operator may instantaneously effect the required adjustment when the inclination of the suction pipe is altered or as the character of the material may necessitate.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which Figure 1 illustrates diagrama-tically part of a dredging vessel showing in full lines the suction pipe and dredging head in operative position when dredging at some depth and showing the device for automatically maintaining the inclination of the dredging head notwithstanding variation of the inclination of the suction pipe; the suction pipe and dredging head being shown in dotted lines in the position occupied when dredging in shallow water. Fig.2 is a detail view showing the dredging head and the lower end of a suction pipe. Figs. 3 and t are views corresponding, respectively to Figs. 1 and 2 showing a slightly modified construction. Fig. 5 shows diagrammatically part of a dredging vessel fitted with a suction pipe and dredging head, and with hydraulic control gear operable from the deck of the dredging vessel for effecting therequired adjustment to maintain the dredging head at the selected inclination. Fig. 6 shows a detail.

In the drawings there is shown a drag suction dredger; it is to be understood, however, that the invention is equally applicable to a dredger fitted with a forward suction pipe.

Referring firstly' to the construction shown in Figs. 1 and 2, 1 denotes the suction pipe or frame pivoted at its upper end at 2.

3 denotes the dredging head pivoted at 41 to pipe a t12,; the adjacent ends of thesuction I links 11 being connected to a. tension rod 13 extending to the upper end of the'suction pipe and preferably comprising sections whose adjacent ends'are formed with screwthreads of opposite hand engaged by a nutforming sleeve 1% so as to permit of adjustment of the effective length of said tension rod 13. The upper section of the tension rod 13 is connected to the lever arm 15, having a fulcrum fixed in relation to the dredging vessel and also having a pin-and-slot connection with the suction pipe or frame.

It will be seen that when the suction pipe is swung on its pivot 2 by operation of the raising and lowering tackle 16 as required to bring the dredging head into operative position for a given dredging depth, the lever arm 15 is rocked on its fulcrum and thereby the tension rod 13 shifted so asto vary the position of the stops 10. As the dredging head is so balanced that it tends always to occupy a position such that the stops 9 abut against the stops 10, the displacement of the tops 10 insures that the dredging head is maintained at the required inclination notwithstanding the variation of the inclination of the suction pipe; 2'. 6., the variation of the dredging depth.

The provision of the nut-forming sleeve 1- engaging screw-threads of opposite hand the ends of the sections of the tension rod 13 provides means of adjustment of the effective length of the tension rod 13 and thus of the limiting positions occupied by the stops 10, when the desired angle of inclin:.. i m of the dredging head is to be varied to suit dili'erent characters of material.

The arrangement shown in Figs. 3 and it corresponds to that shown in Figs. 1 and 2, save that for the tension rod 13 and leverarm 15 there is substituted a tension rope 17 which is led around a guide pulley 18 mounted on the upper end of the suction pipe, the upper end. of said tension rope being anchored on a fixed lug 19. A nut-forming sleeve l l engaging oppositely directed screw-threads on shackle members 20 forms a means of adjusting the effective length of the tension rope 17.

In the modified construction shown in Figs. 5 and 6 there is provided a single pair of stops 9, 10, the stop 10 being formed by the outer end of a plunger movable in a hydraulic cylinder 21 connected by means of pipes 22, preferably including flexible pipe sections 23, with a valve device 2% controllable by actuation of a lever 25 movable in a quadrant 26 and operable by an attendant on the dredging vessel.

hat we claim is 1. In a suction dredger, the combination with a suction pipe movable to occupy any desired inclination to the ground, of a dredging head pivotally mounted to swing on a horizontal axis relatively to said pipe, means for limiting the pivotal movement of said head in one direction, said means including a device movable automatically on variation of the inclination of said pipe and adapted to maintain the dredging head at a given inclination to the ground notwithstanding variation of the inclination of said pipe.

2. In a suction dredger, the combination with a. suction pipe movable to occupy any desired inclination to the ground, of a dredging head pivotally mounted to swing on a horizontal axis relatively to said pipe and capable of being set at any desired inclination to the ground, and means acting automatically to maintain said dredging head at the desired inclination notwithstanding variation of the inclination of said pipe.

3. In a suction dredger, the combination with a suction pipe movable to occupy any desired inclination to the ground, of a drer ging head pivotally mounted to swing on a horizontal axis relatively to said pipe and capable of being set at any desired inclination to the ground, and means for maintaining said dredging head continuously at the required inclination notwithstanding variation of the inclination of said pipe but permitting variation of the inclination of the dredging head while the dredging head is in operative position.

t. In a suction dredger, in combination, a suction pipe, a dredging head angularly movable relatively to said pipe, a stop for limiting such angular movement, and means for shifting said stop during operation in correspondence with angular movement of the suction pipe, whereby the dredging head may be maintained at. an inclination determined by adjustment notwithstanding variation of the dredging depth.

In testimony whereof we have signed our names to this specification in the presence of two subscr1bing witnesses.

WVM. BROIV N IVALTER BROIVN. Witnesses:

lVALLAon CRANSTON FAIRWEATHER, HENRY MASON.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents.

Washington, D. C. 

